WorkSafe Victoria Awards 2017
The awards are open to Victorians in any industry. And with nine award categories that celebrate everything from individual achievements to business solutions and inventions, you're sure to find one that best showcases your achievements in health, safety and wellbeing or return to work this year.
Entries close 31st of May 2017..
For further information and to enter visit the Worksafe Victoria Awards website.
Safety blitz targets mobile plant on building sites
Over the past decade, 16 people have died working with or around machinery such as cranes, front end loaders, elevated work platforms, forklifts, skid steer loaders, concrete trucks and other types of powered mobile plant.
Which is why WorkSafe is targeting poor safety around mobile plant as part of a new campaign to reduce fatalities and injuries on construction sites.
Throughout May, inspectors will be checking to ensure that employers and contractors have identified the hazards associated with this type of machinery and are controlling the risks to workers and the public.
WorkSafe’s Executive Director of Health and Safety, Marnie Williams, said the construction sector continued to have a high number of workplace injuries and fatalities every year.
“Last year seven construction workers lost their lives, and a number of these tragic incidents involved vehicles or powered mobile plant being operated on site,” Ms Williams said.
Ms Williams said as the sector commonly used a vast range of heavy and mobile machinery - often for short periods of time - meant construction sites were dynamic and the hazards needed to be constantly reassessed.
“As construction sites change and develop, so do the risks to people on the site,” she said.
“Part of the obvious risks with mobile machinery is that they move from place to place at different times, which means managing the risks to employees and site visitors must be an ongoing process.
“That’s why it is critical that employers outline to workers the work that needs to be done, the potential risks involved, and identify how the risks must be controlled. Appropriate training and clear exclusion zones are essential, because pedestrians and powered mobile machinery simply do not mix.”
Ms Williams said other safety measures that should be considered include:
- Operators must be appropriately trained and competent
- Ensure machinery is regularly inspected and maintained
- If a traffic management plan is required, ensure it is reviewed and updated as the site changes
- Workers and members of the public (such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorists) must be isolated and separated from powered machinery and vehicles
- Ensure appropriate signage is in place and erect barriers where appropriate
- Identify and control visibility issues, particularly if lighting is poor (eg. fog, rain, night works)
Futher information available here.
Workplace Bullying Prevention Workshop – 30 May 2017
Workplace bullying is a serious issue that continues to adversely impact many workers and organizations throughout Australia. Recent research commissioned by Safe Work Australia revealed 6.8% of Australians had directly experienced bullying.
AEN is hosting a workshop that will cover some of the important issues related to bullying:
Topics include:
- Workplace bullying – culture & values of the workplace
- What is workplace bullying? Common forms of bullying in the workplace
- Conflict management and performance management
- Online issues/cyber bulling
- Duty of care – employer and employee responsibility
- Workplace bullying policy example, including social media
- Signs of bullying behaviour in the workplace
- The Law & consequences – Worksafe & Fair Work Commission
- General protections, adverse action, vilification & whistle-blowers
- Unfair & constructive dismissal
- What can employers do to stop/limit bullying behaviour?
For further information or to register please click here.
Bakery fined after worker’s fingers amputated
A bakery in Altona North was recently fined $40,000 for breaching the 2004 OHS Act after a worker's fingertips were amputated by a machine filling pastries with custard.
Pinnacle Bakery & Integrated Ingredients Pty Ltd pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for failing to provide and maintain safe plant and failing to provide appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision.
The company, which was fined without conviction, was also ordered to pay costs of $3974.
On 2 December 2015, the worker was operating a machine used to fill pastries with custard. The machine places a set amount of custard into pastry cases and then turns and closes as the custard is pushed forward through a tube and into the pastry product.
The court heard that one of the worker’s tasks was to manually refill the machine because the filler pump was broken. The court was told that the company was aware the machine had been malfunctioning all day and decided to keep it in operation.
After noticing that the custard was not dispensing equally into the pastry casings, the worker reached into the machine to clear a blockage. His hand became stuck and the tips of three of his fingers were amputated.
The court heard that both his supervisor and line manager had left the factory before the incident.
The worker told WorkSafe investigators that he had not been trained if a malfunction occurred.
“I stood on a small step and reached into the depositor with my right hand which I had seen other people do to mix up the custard,” the worker said.
“I had not been trained (if there was a malfunction) and there was no-one to ask. When my right hand was inside the depositor I pushed the custard down. The next thing I felt something grab three of my fingers being my index finger, middle finger and ring finger.”
Further Information available here.
AUSTRALIAN WHS STATISTICS
There have been 57 workplace fatalities reported by 11 May, compared to 59 at the same time last year.
The industries with the highest number of fatalities are:
Agriculture, forestry & fishing – 13
Transport, postal & warehousing – 22
Construction – 9
More at Safe Work Australia
SAFETY ALERTS
Carbon monoxide poisoning and LPG powered floor cleaning equipment
This alert highlights for employers the risk of employees being over exposed to carbon monoxide when operating LPG powered floor cleaning equipment such as a floor burnisher or buffer.
For further information please click here.
National Road Safety Week 8-14 May
SafetyFirst - Ahead of the Action
Your own branded learning management system not only benefits your apprentices and trainees, it also benefits you as a business. You need not worry about putting your resources out of play for a day or two just to conduct the program. With SafetyFirst's online safety induction training, you'll enjoy benefits such as:
- Assist in meeting compliance - designed as tools to assist managers and supervisors to meet their Work Health and Safety obligations
- Do it anytime - The training course is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- Interactive and engaging - easy to use by various learners, entertaining content for a more enjoyable learning experience
- Cost-effectiveness
- Consistency - ability to maintain a particular standard with staff WHS training
- Results – immediate results and feedback that identify further training needs
SafetyFirst can assist you in creating a safe work environment for all your new employees, apprentices and trainees.
A free trial of the material can be found here - demo.safetyfirst.org.au
Learn more about SafetyFirst
SafetyFirst is an initiative of the Group Training Association of Victoria. Visit our site to keep up to date with the latest Health and Safety news Australia wide. SafetyFirst.org.au
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